


The Adventures of Thomas & Jimmy

by Downtoncat



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Banter, Boyfriends, Chocolate, Domestic Fluff, Everyday Life, First Kiss, First Meetings, Gay Sex, Hand Jobs, Ice Skating, Love, M/M, Modern AU, New Year's Eve, Roleplay, Romance, adverntures of a couple, barely bondage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:28:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21545281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Downtoncat/pseuds/Downtoncat
Summary: Modern AU series of short, random, everyday adventures of the power couple Thomas Barrow & Jimmy Kent. Each chapter is its stand-alone adventure/day in the life.*Rated E for some chapters, doesn't apply to all, some are pretty G/T.*Marked complete because each fic is a stand-alone and finished.As a collection, I am STILL UPDATING these tho, every few months or so. :)
Relationships: Thomas Barrow/Jimmy Kent
Comments: 11
Kudos: 135





	1. The one with the Birthday Muffins

**Author's Note:**

> If you were to assume I was writing this one when I had chocolate cravings, you’d be correct.

Jimmy decided to bake muffins for Thomas’s birthday. It was a rather rushed decision. He’d come up with it yesterday, right before he fell asleep; sweaty and more than satisfied, his head resting blissfully on Thomas’s chest, listening to his boyfriends rhythmical heartbeat as it lulled him to sleep.

This morning, after Thomas went to work, Jimmy made a quick trip to the local store and bought the ingredients that he needed, however he found himself realizing that he may not have bought everything.

“Right… two cups of flour, half a teaspoon of baking powder – got that,” he listed aloud as he was scrolling through the list of ingredients on his phone. “1¼ cup of sugar, half a cup of melted chocolate, one cup of chopped dark chocolate– Oh shit, that’s a lot… I won't have enough!”

To be honest, Jimmy didn’t plan this exactly to the t. He'd always been more of an improviser. He didn’t have a specific recipe selected before he went shopping this morning, so he just bought the standard chocolate muffin ingredients. He assumed it would be enough, but now, looking at the bowl of melted chocolate where he used almost all the chocolate he'd bought, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

He didn’t have time to go out and buy more, Thomas would be home in less than half an hour and Jimmy hadn’t even mixed everything together yet, let alone put the muffins in the oven where they were supposed to be at this point if he wanted them done and ready on time.

This was meant to be a special birthday surprise for Thomas – _special_ and lovely, not something that would leave Thomas open-mouthed when came home and saw the mess that their apartment was at this point.

But in any case, it was too late to abort the mission of baking now – everything was half-done and the kitchen was already in disarray. Jimmy had spilled some milk, burnt a pan when he was melting butter, and there was flour all over the counter because Jimmy had decided to follow the recipe exactly, even when it called for sifting the flour (a good-for-nothing waste of time and of a clean kitchen counter, he was now convinced).

There were kitchen utensils strewn everywhere because he had searched through all the drawers until he finally found the sieve and the spatula – normally it was Thomas who did the bulk of cooking. But Jimmy was determined to make this birthday special for his boyfriend.

And now he was hectically raiding their cupboards for any more chocolate that he could find.

“You decide to make _chocolate_ chip muffins and you forget to make sure you have enough _chocolate_ , great job, Jimmy,” he grunted to himself.

He was already bitter enough that they were low on cocoa powder – he didn’t bother buying any because he was certain they’d have enough. After all, they always had it on hand since Jimmy liked to put it in his pre-workout shakes – but as it happened, they were running low just as it was most needed. Ultimately, Jimmy did manage to scrape up about half of what the recipe called for. Considering how much chocolate was in these babies, Jimmy wagered it should be enough.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a large chocolate bar under his fingers.

“Good, right,” he said and quickly started chopping the chocolate into smaller pieces, while constantly glancing up at the clock which was counting down minutes to Thomas’s return.

The oven was preheated (the only thing Jimmy was sure he’d done right) and he grabbed a ladle to pour the batter into the moulds. He didn't have to splurge on a muffin pan - luckily they had one (a birthday gift from their friend Daisy). He did however buy these luxurious-looking gold-foil muffin liners, which he was very proud of.

“If they don’t taste good, at least they’ll look good,” Jimmy consoled himself as he ran his finger over the spatula and tasted the batter with some skepticism.

He put the muffins into the oven and prayed to god they would turn out at least decently edible.

Suddenly, Jimmy heard the front door open and a familiar voice called: “Hey babe, you home?”

 _Dammit,_ Jimmy cursed helplessly under his breath. His time was up and he was unable to do anything but wait until a head of black hair peeped into the kitchen.

“What are you- Jimmy what are you _wearing_?” Thomas’s face stretched into a wide grin and he started laughing.

Jimmy had entirely forgotten that he had an apron on – well, it wasn’t exactly an ordinary apron… Thomas got it for Christmas last year as a joke. On the apron was a picture of a muscular man’s body, and he was wearing only a pair of bright red shorts.

Neither Thomas nor Jimmy ever really used aprons when cooking, but this was the only apron they had and Jimmy would be damned if he let any of his clothes run the risk of getting ruined – least of all his favourite white shirt.

“I… I was um…” Jimmy stuttered. “Uh… surprise!” he exclaimed and plastered on a smile, gesturing towards the muffins.

Thomas stepped closer and arched his neck to see what was in the oven.

“You _baked_?” he asked incredulously, resting his hands on Jimmy’s hips. “You never bake!”

“Well, there’s a first time for everything, isn't there?” Jimmy smiled innocently, but then frowned. “But it was supposed to be a surprise and you’re home early so now they’re not done yet and I'm not even sure if they're-“

“Ok, ok," Thomas cut him off in a calming tone. "‘S alright, love." He ran his hands up and down Jimmy’s upper arms.

“Well, Happy Birthday,” Jimmy shrugged and gave him an apologetic smile.

“Thank you,” Thomas said and leaned in for a short kiss. He glanced towards the oven again. “But you know…” he added in a lower, flirtatious tone as he reached for some remaining chocolate on the counter and put a piece into his mouth.

“I reckon we can come up with a way to spend the time while we wait for those muffins of yours, hmm?”

He pressed their lips together again, a proper deep kiss this time, and Jimmy melted into it, forgetting that his surprise didn’t go exactly as planned. He tasted the half-melted chocolate on Thomas's tongue and let out a satisfied moan.

“Now get that apron off. I prefer what’s underneath,” Thomas whispered into Jimmy's ear in a low voice, a hint of poorly concealed lust seeping through.

Jimmy smirked and eagerly reached behind to untie the apron and take off his shirt.

"You don't mind the mess?"

Thomas quickly undid his own shirt, the air between them thick with anticipation.

"Not in this case, no," he quickly mumbled.

He lifted Jimmy onto the counter and ran his hands up and down his bare torso. Jimmy wrapped his hands around Thomas’s neck and pulled him into another long kiss, tasting again the sweet chocolate on Thomas’s lips.

As Thomas leaned in and pressed against Jimmy, his hand hit a bowl of melted chocolate behind the blonde man.

Instead of moving it aside, Thomas broke the kiss and his eyes met Jimmy’s with a strange spark of mischief in them. His eyebrows darted up flirtatiously as if he was daring his boyfriend.

“You mean…?” Jimmy asked carefully, and Thomas’s confident nod was his reply.

Jimmy’s heart throbbed in his chest – and something else was throbbing too, with almost painful arousal.

Thomas tested the melted chocolate on his wrist and then used the spoon to dip a bit of it on Jimmy’s bare chest.

It slowly oozed down, but Thomas moved his head lower and licked it off Jimmy, tasting both the chocolate and Jimmy’s skin, making sure he never broke eye contact.

“Hnn,” Jimmy moaned and closed his eyes when he couldn’t take it anymore. The sensation was heavenly and he was terribly hard already. Thomas’s mouth made its way higher, to leave a trail of chocolaty kisses on Jimmy’s neck.

Suddenly, the alarm went off with a buzz. The muffins were done.


	2. The one with the Ice Skating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a nice wintry one :) I had a lot of fun with it, especially because I adore winter and the holiday season. I think a Christmas one would be fitting for chapter 3 if I can finish it on time ;)

It was December. The evening sky was painted in shades of dark blue and purple, and a few silver stars were already scattered across the black canvas. There was a crisp, wintry scent in the air.

Thomas and Jimmy were on their way back to their flat, walking side by side, the fingers of one red and one blue gloved hand occasionally affectionately brushing against each other.

York was lovely this time of year. Both the street- and festive lights illuminating the night were creating an almost magical, winter atmosphere. There were holly branches, mistletoes, and other decorations hanging from various posts and buildings. The trees in the park were decorated with shooting stars and reindeer-shaped lights.

A large skating rink, which was set up in the middle of the city park every year, was the main attraction. In its centre stood a huge Christmas tree, decorated with so many golden lights and ornaments that it was almost impossible to see the branches underneath. A fresh pine smell was pervading the air around it, unequivocally announcing that the holiday season was in full swing.

As the pair walked by the rink, Jimmy observed the skaters; Thomas saw a sparkle of excitement in his eyes - however the raven-haired man glanced at the people on ice with a certain reservation.

“You know,” Jimmy began, gently and playfully bumping his shoulder against Thomas’s. “Last Christmas, after we’d missed our chance here ‘cause they’d already closed the rink down, you promised me we’d go skating next year, remember?”

Thomas’s face gave nothing away, but he glanced at Jimmy sceptically.

“Well, it _is_ ‘next year’ now,” the blonde man pressed.

“Yes…” Thomas slowly replied. “But the ice is slippery and the skates are sharp. Maybe some other day, when you’ve not had this much to drink.”

Jimmy's face took on a bewildered expression. "What d’you mean ‘this much’?" he asked, his eyebrows darting upwards.

"Enough that I don’t trust you to go on the ice," protested Thomas.

"Oh, come on, I had like one pint-"

"Mhm, make that double," corrected Thomas, an undertone of amusement in his voice.

Jimmy thought for a second, remembering that he did in fact have two pints at the pub where they’d been earlier. "Right… But I’m fine though, look!” he objected – and then his face suddenly changed expression – as if he had just realized something.

"Oh," he breathed.

Thomas turned to him, a look of interest in his eyes. "'Oh' what?" he asked sarcastically.

“You're trying to avoid it because it makes _you_ nervous, aren’t you? You’re afraid!" Jimmy stated his realization proudly.

Thomas huffed, attributing this wild imagination to the beer, not to Jimmy.

"Of ice skating? Jimmy don't be ridicul- Jimmy!"

Thomas could only blink in confusion before he realized what was happening. The blonde man was running towards the skating rink, looking over his shoulder and grinning mischievously at the bewildered man he left behind.

Thomas had no choice but to hurry after him.

“Jimmy-”

"C'mon, where’s your spontaneity? It’ll be fun!" insisted Jimmy, already queuing up to rent them both a pair of skates. “I’ll teach you,” he winked coyly and nudged him with his elbow.

Thomas sighed. He did promise Jimmy that they’d go ice skating _someday_ , but he wasn’t counting on that being _today_. It still impressed him each time when he witnessed Jimmy’s assertiveness and confidence escalate after he’d had a bit to drink – but truth be told, Jimmy was hardly as drunk as Thomas had been insisting. Considering Jimmy’s size and weight, he was able to down a surprising amount of alcohol before it really got to him, and he really was fine at this point. A little merrier and bolder, but perfectly fine.

Jimmy handed Thomas a pair of skates with a childlike grin. He had already put his on.

"Please, Thomas! We'd never gone skating together before. It's winter, it's almost Christmas, it's wonderful," he went on enthusiastically. “Look at the lights, isn’t it romantic?”

Thomas couldn’t help but smile. It warmed his heart to see Jimmy as happy as he was just now.

"Right,” he yielded. “But if you topple over, I'm not picking you up," he added in mock warning and started putting on his skates with a reluctant expression.

Thomas did have to give it to his boyfriend – he knew him well. Thomas may or may not have insisted that Jimmy was too drunk for skating because he, himself, wasn't really all that fond of ice. He was not bad at sports; he was actually quite proud of his dancing skills. But skating wasn't his comfort zone. He felt like a bull in a china shop, lacking grace and elegance because he was simply too busy making sure that he accomplished the basic task of staying upright on that damned slippery surface.

He stepped on the ice; slowly, bent over awkwardly and holding tightly onto the railing.

A hand in a blue glove reached out to hold his.

"It'll be fine," Jimmy encouraged him. “And if _you_ fall over, I _will_ pick you up. Promise.”

"A big oaf on ice," laughed Thomas, attempting to introduce a bit of self deprecating humour to lighten the mood.

Jimmy leaned closer and clasped Thomas’s hand a little tighter. " _My_ oaf," he corrected, taking a second to press a quick peck on his cheek.

They skated slowly, and Thomas eventually let go of the railing and held only Jimmy’s hand for balance. Newton was right – it was easier to _stay_ in motion, once you _were_ in motion.

"See! You're not doing half bad!" Jimmy added supportively.

"Well, we're still standing and moving, that’s something,” smiled Thomas, his breath turning into mist in the winter air.

Their eyes met; Jimmy’s dark blue and excited, Thomas’s stormy grey and full of love for the man in front of him. A random, silly thought crossed him mind – how lucky he was to be alive. Simply that. How lucky he was to be alive and to savour this beautiful face staring back at him. To share this moment with the person he loved most in the world. If he could read minds, he would know that Jimmy had been thinking the same thing just then.

Other people were skating past them; children whizzing by quickly and with happy, excitable screams, couples gliding by slowly, hand in hand and with dreamy eyes that saw nothing but their significant other.

When he looked up to the beam of light coming from a holly-adorned street lamp, Thomas could see that it had begun to snow; barely, but it had. Tiny snowflakes were falling on his cheeks and melted instantly as they touched his warm skin.

“See, you’ve got it! You _can_ skate,” he heard Jimmy say, and then he felt his hand let go as the blonde man skated towards the middle of the rink. “Told you I’d teach you,” Jimmy announced proudly as he stopped a few feet away from Thomas. His cheeks were red from the cold; a contrast against the dark blue scarf he was wearing over his tawny coat. “Now come to me,” he called and gestured as one would to a kid.

“I’m not a bloody child,” Thomas grinned, his white teeth rivalling the whiteness of the ice under his feet. "How the hell are you even able to skate in a straight line after downing all that beer?" he called after him, a smirk still stretched across his face.

Jimmy skated along in a form of a small s-shape before coming to a halt and turning around to face Thomas again.

"Well, I wouldn’t call it ‘straight’,” he smirked. “I've always done pretty poorly at being straight, to be honest.”

It was a terrible joke, but Thomas burst into laughter regardless.

He skated to Jimmy and pulled him into an embrace, finding stability in his arms.

"Well if that’s true, I think it’s very fortunate."

“I love you, _oaf_ ,” Jimmy said casually, leaning his head against Thomas’s warm black coat, on a spot where under all that fabric his collarbone was. He let out a content, satisfied hum.

Thomas rested his hands on Jimmy’s back, holding him close. His eyes expressed enough without words, but he whispered them still.

“I love you too, Jimmy.”

Jimmy tilted his head up and their lips met in a soft, warm kiss. It was a pleasant shelter against the cold winter air. They deepened the kiss and Thomas placed his hand along Jimmy's jawline as the blonde man clasped his hands behind Thomas's neck.

They stayed like this for a few moments, savouring one another’s presence and warmth, wrapped snugly in each other’s arms. A rainbow of coats continued to whizz by around them, and snowflakes were still falling from the night sky, glistening under the street lights like tiny diamonds.


	3. The one with Christmas at the Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shorty short-short of a chapter. Banter. Cheesy smut. Beach sex. Starring Star Wars references and Ed’s pink shorts (which I, unlike Thomas, like very much) xD  
> Belated Merry Christmas to you all!

“I still can’t believe you convinced me to come here for the holidays,” Thomas commented as he applied sunscreen on his arms.

“But it’s so cold in England!” Jimmy insisted and propped himself up on his elbows.

Thomas raised his eyebrow. “Last time I checked, you loved winter.”

“I do,” the blonde man said. “But I can get tired of it, can’t I? It’s fun to twist it up a bit. It’s exciting! Instead of winter, snow and Santa, we’ve got water, sun and sand this year!”

Thomas smirked and sighed dramatically. “I don’t like sand,” he said with a fake frown. “It’s coarse and rough, and irritating. And it gets everywhere.”

“Oh, shut up,” Jimmy laughed. “If you’re going to quote a Star Wars movie, at least quote one of the og ones.”

“Alright then, but you’ll have to help me, ok?” Thomas said and moved closer to Jimmy, running a hand down his arm. “I love you.”

Jimmy smiled and rolled his eyes. “I know,” he whispered and leaned in for a kiss.

“Mmm,” hummed Thomas, his arm moving lower to draw little circles on Jimmy’s hip. “Those pink shorts really do things to me that they shouldn’t.”

“Oh yeah,” smirked the blonde man and stroked Thomas’s bicep. “When I bought them, you said you didn’t like them.”

“I don’t,” Thomas retorted. “But the more I dislike them, the more I want to rip them off of you, so it’s a win-win, right?”

“Shut up and kiss me again, you idiot,” grinned Jimmy and pulled Thomas in for another kiss. He could taste the salt on his lips – they’d gone swimming not too long ago. He let Thomas roll on top of him and the time seemed to stand still as they kissed. There was no need for just a quick peck; there was no one around to disturb them. Walking to this secluded little bay turned out to be worth it.

Thomas caressed Jimmy’s cheek and kissed his lips apart, gently at first, but gradually with more and more desire. They both felt it washing over them. Jimmy started arching his hips up, longing for friction against Thomas’s thigh and his hardon – but Thomas broke the kiss and leaned away.

“Here?” he asked hesitantly, yet unable to conceal that his body wanted the same as Jimmy’s.

“There’s nobody around, there hasn’t been a soul since we came here,” Jimmy insisted and wrapped his hands around Thomas’s neck, pulling him down into a kiss again, doing his best not to lose the moment. “And there’s that big rock over there, we’re hidden behind it… somewhat. Trees an’ all…”

“Yeah, but what if-”

“Let’s make it exciting,” Jimmy whispered against the other man’s ear and kissed the spot behind it, bringing out a satisfied low moan from Thomas.

“Hnn, yes, alright” Thomas agreed, unable to think straight or say anything else. His hand stroked down Jimmy’s side, caressing the soft, smooth, sun-kissed skin, and then reached lower to tug at the waistband of his shorts.

He buried his face into the crook of Jimmy’s neck and nibbled at it while he expertly pulled down the pink shorts and released Jimmy’s throbbing erection.

Jimmy’s eyes slid closed and he dug his fingers into the muscles of Thomas’s back while the other man stroked him.

“Oh, god,” he cried, his moan muffled by Thomas’s kiss. He could hear nothing but the sound of their ragged breaths, their pounding hearts and the waves crashing against the shore, lost in the sensations of their bodies rocking against each other, skin kissing skin.

Jimmy ran his fingers down Thomas's abdomen until he reached his target and started touching Thomas in turn. The other man’s low moan made goose bumps appear on Jimmy’s skin, despite the warm sun that was shining on them.

Somewhere in the middle of rocking against each other’s hands, and their sighs and moans merging into a musical harmony, their eyes met and both men felt that inexplicable, yet undeniable feeling. It was everything that mattered; they were each other's everything.

Jimmy’s body tensed as waves of pleasure that shot through him mingled with those of the sea behind them. He felt Thomas's body echo his own in climax, only moments after.

“Merry Christmas,” he whispered against Thomas's neck, his breaths still ragged but slowly steadying.

“Merry Christmas, love,” breathed Thomas and kissed him passionately.


	4. The one with Roleplay in Quarantine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Omg, they were quarantined!” Master-servant role-play porn.  
> Idk, this is my first try at sth like this :P  
> Ayway, this one is pretty explicit so the rating for the whole collection is changed.

Please, sit down, your lordship,” said Jimmy after he had removed Thomas's tie, jacket and vest.

Perhaps this quarantine-thing wasn’t all that bad. They kept busy at first; they had already watched a gazillion movies, tried cooking some fancy recipes together, they tidied up around the house a bit. And now they decided to spice it up in the bedroom and explore some things they hadn’t yet had the time to… get into.

Thomas sat down on the bed, leaned on his elbows, giving Jimmy that self-assured, smug look. “Continue, James,” he said, trying to sound aristocratic, but his lips gave away a ghost of a smirk.

 _You’re enjoying this way too much,_ thought Jimmy and smiled, but quickly switched to a serious expression and a ceremonious voice _._ “Yes, m’lord.” In a manner which he hoped looked seductive, he knelt down and proceeded to untie Thomas’s shoes. He looked up every now and again, meeting Thomas's eyes.

They had committed to the activity; Thomas was wearing his fancy suit – the one from Anna and John’s wedding – a tie, shoes, even cuff links, though Jimmy had no idea that he owned a pair. And despite Jimmy’s protests – “Why do _I_ have to be all dressed up? I’ll be the one doing the undressing. It'll be faster if it's just you.” – Thomas had insisted that he wear a suit too (he loved him in a suit) and a tie, just like a proper valet.

Having removed Thomas’s shoes, Jimmy tackled his belt next, while still remaining on his knees. Thomas threaded his hand through Jimmy’s hair lovingly. As he pulled down Thomas’s trousers and underwear, Jimmy made sure to ‘accidentally’ brush his palm against that bulging front.

He rose up. “I hope you don’t mind, m’lord,” he said coyly and sat back down, into Thomas’s lap, to undo Thomas’s shirt next. “This makes it easier.”

Thomas smirked and ran his hands up and down Jimmy’s back as Jimmy began undoing the buttons. “I think that’s alright, James. Whatever you must do to get the job done.” His voice was thick with desire, and his gradually more exposed neck and shoulders were calling for Jimmy to stamp kisses on them.

He was struggling to resist the temptation. Jimmy tried to go slow to make Thomas beg for it, but the plan was backfiring. Straddling Thomas had been a mistake – Jimmy found himself painfully aroused with their erections trapped together between them. He wanted to rip Thomas’s shirt off and kiss him, touch him, take him now-

But he refrained somehow, and after Thomas’s shirt was lying on the floor (the only thing they didn’t commit to was how careful the valet should be with the lord’s clothes) Jimmy rose up again and started unbuttoning his own suit. It felt especially tight around a certain area.

There was a hunger in Thomas’s eyes. He got up, his attention being to help Jimmy out of his clothes, but Jimmy gently pushed him back with a self-content smirk.

“Oh no, it would be most improper for a man of your standards to tend to a poor valet such as myself,” he said, lowering his voice to a smug whisper. “Hands off – your _lordship_.”

Thomas looked surprised for a moment, but then his expression morphed into something Jimmy knew quite well – Thomas was enjoying it!

He licked his lips and lifted his chin up in an assured manner, but his voice was soft. “James, I’m your master, you must obey me.”

But Jimmy ignored his words and proceeded to undress himself, maintaining eye contact with Thomas as he did. He took his time, knowing very well how much he tortured Thomas by not allowing him to touch him; the only problem was, it was pretty torturous for Jimmy just as well. It took a bit of getting used to, but this role-play thing was working for both of them. When the last item of clothing, Jimmy's boxers, fell onto the floor, Jimmy confidently stepped forward.

Thomas took a moment to drink in the sight of his form, as if he were taking a picture with his eyes. Then he pulled Jimmy down onto the bed and turned them around so that he was on top, straddling him. He ran his palm down Jimmy’s abdomen and leaned to whisper in his ear. “You dared to speak back and disobey me? I believe a punishment is in order.”

Jimmy broke out of his character and chuckled, but Thomas was not joking. He took a second to press a kiss on the side of Jimmy's neck, and then he rummaged through the pile of clothes to recover both of their ties. He used them to tie Jimmy’s wrists to the bed.

Jimmy didn’t resist, but now he found himself really aching to kiss and touch Thomas. With nothing left to cover his erection, his excitement could not be concealed. He tugged at the ties to test them. “Fitting punishment, m’lord,” he said and raised an eyebrow suggestively.

Thomas smirked. “I’m hoping it will be, James.”

Thomas climbed down lower and wrapped his mouth around Jimmy’s erection, taking him in.

“Mhm,” moaned Jimmy contently, “yes, f- _ah,_ fitting punishment.”

Thomas felt his own erection press somewhere against Jimmy’s leg. He looked up to see the blonde man’s face, contorted in pleasure, his hair falling down over his eyes in messy golden locks, just as Thomas loved it best.

Jimmy felt his muscles tensing. He tugged at the ties, trying not to arch his hips up as Thomas took him in, tip to base, down the length of his member, again and again.

“Oh god, Thomas- _fuck_ -”

Thomas hummed something in return and started moving faster, one of his hands stroking gently along the inside of Jimmy’s thigh.

“Aw, shit,” cursed Jimmy, desperate to somehow take more and to touch Thomas, to at least tug at his hair a little. He was melting under the heat of Thomas’s mouth. How the man made him fall apart with a single flick of his tongue-

But then just as Jimmy felt he was so close, Thomas suddenly stopped. He lifted his head up and climbed over Jimmy, kissing his chest once, then leaving a trail of kisses up his neck.

Jimmy let out a surprised gasp. “Wait,” he whimpered helplessly. “Ah- Thomas -”

“Hmm?” smirked Thomas, “told you you needed to be punished. You'll have to wait a bit.”

Jimmy’s mind was hazy with lust. He could feel Thomas’s hard-on pressing against his abdomen- god, he wanted him so badly! Thomas’s mouth back around him, or his hand on him, Thomas inside him – anything, anything at all!

“Oh, come on,” he pleaded and started chuckling to mask his desperation.

He felt Thomas’s hair brushing against his neck as the man shook his head. “Not until you say the magic word.”

Jimmy still laughed and he tried to roll his hips upwards to get some friction against Thomas – but Thomas moved out of his reach.

“Ah- oh, Thomas,” Jimmy whimpered and tugged at his bonds, but he couldn’t do anything.

“Yes?” said Thomas teasingly and kissed Jimmy's cheek while he ran his warm hand suggestively down his abdomen. He stopped just under Jimmy's navel, pinning him down onto the bed.

“Please,” Jimmy uttered desperately, squirming underneath him. “ _ah_ \- p-please, Thomas,” he begged.

Thomas leaned forward and kissed him deeply, finally grounding his hips down in one agonizingly slow yet satisfying motion, so that their hard-ons rubbed together. But he moved away again.

"What was that?"

"Ah-" gasped Jimmy, longing for friction. "Please!" he repeated insistently. "Please, just- hnn"

Thomas's voice was raspy and heavy with lust as he spoke: "Well, since you're asking so nicely." Then he switched over to his hand and took both their erections, stroking them together – Jimmy came almost instantly and Thomas followed a moment later.

They lay next to each other, spent and satisfied.

“Do you think you could untie me now, _m’lord_?” asked Jimmy after a while, smiling and still a bit out of breath.

Thomas chuckled and kissed Jimmy on his cheek before he turned onto his side and tended to his bonded hands. “S’ppose I’ll have to. How else am I going to get dressed in the morning if my valet is tied down?”


	5. The one Where They Met

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chronology be damned – this should technically be the first one in this collection of fics, but you don’t care, do you? If you’re here for a Thommy smooch then keep reading, dear reader :)

Jimmy had had his fair share of drinks for the night. It wasn’t so much because it was the New Year’s, but mainly because he didn’t know most of Daisy’s friends – no way was he going to end up shy and awkward around them. As much as he liked people, he still needed a bit of a boost if he was going to spend an entire night socializing in crowd of strangers.

And he _really_ needed a drink or two for a third reason; briefly summarized as tall, dark and handsome. Daisy saw that Jimmy was eyeing that man, so she gave him a wink – it was their secret sign to let Jimmy _know_ – but even if that gorgeous bloke _was,_ by some stroke of luck, gay… what were the odds that he would be interested in Jimmy?

It would have been better if Jimmy hadn’t known. ‘Welp, here’s a chance I’ll never get,’ he’d think to himself. The handsome stranger would remain a cosy fantasy, a lovely illusion that could not be shattered – one which could not hurt Jimmy with a potential rejection.

But now that Jimmy _did_ know that he could, at least hypothetically, have a chance – it was killing him.

He had been drinking to pluck up the courage to go talk to him, but the timing never seemed quite right. Jimmy hadn’t drunk enough to feel confident enough to chat the stranger up – not with all those people around! Damn, why was he never alone? Since the moment he arrived, the handsome bloke had been constantly surrounded by at least a handful of people.

The raven hair bounced gently as he turned his head and looked in Jimmy’s direction. A soft smile stretched across his face and Jimmy felt an instant jolt of energy rush through is body as they locked eyes.

_Fuck…_

He forced himself to give a brief, friendly, crooked smile in return, then turned away. _What a way to make a good first impression, Jimmy. Staring at him like some dunce!_

He sauntered out onto the balcony to get some fresh air. He leaned onto the railings and his heavy exhale turned into a thick mist as it merged with the cool night air.

He was alone with his thoughts for no longer than a minute when he heard the door behind him open.

“Mind if I join you?”

_No way._

Ivory, long-fingered hands closed the balcony door.

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck!_ “Erm, be my guest,” Jimmy shrugged, hoping that his voice sounded at least half as nonchalant as he was aiming for.

The man fished a cigarette out of his pocket, lit it and took a drag. He noticed Jimmy staring at him so he offered him one, but the blonde man declined.

“Thanks, I’ve been trying to quit, though.”

“Ah…” replied the handsome stranger. He took another long drag, then stubbed out the cigarette in an ashtray on the windowsill.

Jimmy blinked in confusion. “No- I- I mean, _you_ go ahead, I didn’t say it to-“

“It’s ok,” the man said calmly, with a smile as white as blinding snow. “It’s a bad habit anyway. Might make a New Year’s resolution or two, eh?” He reached out a hand and introduced himself. “Thomas Barrow. I work with Daisy at the restaurant.”

He brushed a lock of black hair away from his eyes. Jimmy fell into his eyes; striking, stormy grey. He swallowed nervously. “Jimmy Kent. Old friend,” he added in clarification.

“Nice to meet you, Jimmy.” The man had a northern accent which gave a special ring to Jimmy’s name when he spoke it. Yes, Jimmy certainly liked how his name sounded on Thomas’s lips. “So many people,” Thomas commented, gesturing to the living room where people were smiling and dancing to loud music. “It’s as if Daisy’s invited half the town. I hardly know anybody.”

“Really?” Jimmy was surprised. “ _You_ don’t know anyone? You’ve talked to pretty much everyone at the party.”

Thomas raised an eyebrow and a ghost of a mischievous smirk appeared on his face for a second. “You’ve been keeping count?”

Jimmy felt a blush creeping up. He tried to laugh it off but it came out awkwardly, so he shrugged. “You just seem like a… a social creature.”

Thomas smiled and looked away, and Jimmy got to appreciate his profile for a moment. Like a marble statue with striking red lips.

“My friend Phyllis – she’s been on a roll all evening, introducing me to people,” Thomas explained. “She says I should get out more. And when I finally do, well… there you have it.”

“I’d say you’re doing quite well,” Jimmy said and took a step closer, leaning onto the railing next to Thomas. He was starting to relax. Thomas’s company felt very natural.

“So, Jimmy Kent,” the man asked. “What does Daisy’s old friend do in life?”

“Nothing fancy,” Jimmy shrugged. “I work at a coffee shop during the day. And at night I play at restaurants, clubs, an’ such, y’know.” He noticed Thomas’s eyes glance down to his lips as he spoke, and he felt a warm feeling rising in his chest in response. He took a moment to steady his voice. “And you? What does Thomas Barrow do besides…” it struck him that he didn’t know what _exactly_ it was that he did at the restaurant. “Serve food and drinks?” he suggested.

Thomas gave him a smug smirk. “Excuse you,” he said in mock scolding, “I’m the manager.”

“‘Course you are,” replied Jimmy and they both smiled. “Lookin’ all fancy like this,” he said, gesturing at Thomas’s outfit. “I should’ve guessed. Haven’t seen many waiters with watches like that.”

Thomas rolled up the sleeve of his shirt and revealed his watch in its entirety, modern and elegant.

“You won’t find somethin’ like that at a store,” he said. “I made it.”

“You’re kidding!” Jimmy exclaimed, taking a closer look curiously, only to realize a moment later that he was touching Thomas’s hand which made his stomach jump nervously.

“Me dad was a clock maker,” Thomas explained. “I grew up witch clocks. Understand them.”

The chatter from the apartment got louder and the people appeared to be gathering around to start counting down.

“Almost midnight,” Jimmy commented, gesturing at the hands on the watch. “We should probably get in.”

“We can do that,” nodded Thomas and turned with his whole body to Jimmy. “But we don’t have to yet...” There was a glimmer in his eyes. “D’you want to?”

Jimmy instinctively shook his head. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Thomas’s face. “No,” he said, but he had no real reason why. He felt a rising anticipation in his stomach.

Thomas nodded slowly. The space between suddenly got smaller and smaller, until Thomas’s lips were pressed against Jimmy’s. Jimmy breathed in sharply out of surprise, but he sank into the kiss, grabbing Thomas by his arms to anchor himself there. He closed his eyes and savoured the warmth of Thomas’s lips.

They were soft, like the petals of a rose. The kiss felt like a safe, warm harbour, enveloping Jimmy and shielding him from the chill of the night. He felt frozen in place, but his hand reached up and he threaded his fingers through Thomas’s hair. Perhaps the moment lasted forever – or maybe merely a second – time did not feel tangible.

At some point they slowly pulled away, but only just, so that their noses were still touching. Jimmy felt like he had just woken up from a dream; his mind a little hazy but his whole body rejuvenated.

“Hmm,” he murmured against Thomas’s lips, a mere inch away. “Vanilla…”

Thomas’s let out a confused, breathy smile. “What?”

Jimmy closed his eyes tight in embarrassment and laughed to himself. “The cookies… Daisy’s party cookies,” he explained. Thomas tasted lightly of cigarettes, but mostly of vanilla. It was the first thing that came to Jimmy’s mind before he had a moment to order his thoughts.

“Oh,” Thomas smiled, his face still beaming, now with a hint of a blush. He had been snacking on the biscuits before he followed Jimmy out.

“It’s nice,” Jimmy added quickly, letting the man know that his advances were not unwelcome. They were merely a surprise – a _very_ pleasant surprise. The alcohol had made him bolder, but the only intoxication Jimmy felt now was from the kiss. He leaned in and brushed his nose against Thomas’s.

“So that’s ok, then?” The fingers of Thomas’s hand gently stroked along Jimmy’s neck as he repositioned them.

In response, Jimmy leaned into another kiss; eagerly at first, but then Thomas kissed him back slowly and tenderly, letting him know that there was no need to rush.

Fireworks erupted all around the city and lit up the sky in colourful shades. Cheers from Daisy’s party were heard. The clock struck midnight, and it was looking like a very promising New Year indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm not sure where the 'vanilla' thing came from, but it started as the backbone of this ficlet.
> 
> I woke up one day and had this little vanilla-kiss scene in my mind... I'm thinking that it was probably from me reading Holding The Man, and without giving any spoilers away Tim basically mentions that John had a vanilla flavored drip-feed.  
> My best guess is that this bit of info anchored itself into my subconsciousness and my mind jumbled it into this.


End file.
